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Turkey on Sunday marked the 62nd anniversary of the events known as “Bloody Christmas,” commemorating Turkish Cypriots who lost their lives during intercommunal violence that erupted in Cyprus in December 1963.
In a statement shared by the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Ankara said it was remembering with respect Turkish Cypriots who were killed during the attacks, while reaffirming its commitment to preserving the memory of those who died amid the unrest.
“We commemorate with mercy all our Turkish Cypriot brothers and sisters who lost their lives during the events of Bloody Christmas, and we honor our veterans with deep respect,” the ministry said, adding that Turkey would continue to remember those who “sacrificed their lives for the Cyprus cause.”
The ministry said the violence that began on Dec. 21, 1963, marked a turning point in Cyprus’s history, leading to widespread insecurity for Turkish Cypriots and the breakdown of the island’s power-sharing arrangements.
It said armed Greek Cypriot groups linked to EOKA launched coordinated attacks in several areas, including the capital Lefkosa, and that the violence was associated with efforts outlined in the Akritas Plan, which sought to alter the bi-communal structure of the Republic of Cyprus.
Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz also issued a statement marking the anniversary, describing Bloody Christmas as a “dark chapter in history.”
In a post on the social media platform NSosyal, Yilmaz said the events reflected attempts to marginalize Turkish Cypriots politically and undermine their role in the governance of the island, adding that those efforts failed due to the resilience of the Turkish Cypriot community.
Yilmaz commemorated those who lost their lives in the violence, as well as Turkish Cypriot leaders Fazil Kucuk and Rauf Raif Denktas, the founding president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
He said Turkey and the TRNC would continue to act “in close coordination.”
The term “Bloody Christmas” refers to violence that began on the night of Dec. 20–21, 1963, when armed groups attacked Turkish Cypriot neighborhoods in multiple locations across the island, triggering months of intercommunal clashes and the eventual collapse of the republic’s bi-communal governance framework.